One woman mentioned in the article which you provided a link for, Marla Spivak, was the breeder behind what is called "Minnesota Hygienic".
The other bee breeder mentioned (other than the couple featured) is Sue Coby whom in conjunction with another(?) breed the NWC (New World Carniolan). She also has been able to bring some genetics in from Europe to bolster that line. All of which can help. Many breeders can provide NWC queens.
Coby has been holding an artificial insemination teaching program at UC Davis for the past. I think she still does, and is one of the best, possibly the best instructor.
Since the article mentioned them, I cannot but help but think that this couple who was successful in Maryland were utilizing something from these two women, but then again there is much overlap in bee genetics, too.
Google "Brother Adam" of "Buckfast" bees, (Buckfast Abbey) for info on a monk in England who bred super bees, blending bees from all over Europe, and even Africa (apis mellifera monticola), a high elevation African bee with many positive traits, not to be confused with the swarmy, defensive, low elevation hot weather scutelatta bee that was bred with European bees in South America, giving us the Africanized (AHB)or killer bee. The monticola can be found in a present European breeding line, under the name Mt. Elgon, I think. Not importable to the U.S., but not because of a bit of African strain, but more due to the present tight restriction on imports of any bee genetic material, though we can still receive bees from Canada, for a certainty.
There might even be a bit of Buckfast in Minneapolis Hygienic? I really don't know, just wild speculation, since it wasn't exactly a "line" as it would change over the years, but some of those bees were brought in to the U.S., mixing with the genetics we have here already.
Russian bees have been a part of some breeders hygienic breeding attempts. They have been exposed to the mite for longer, and naturally otherwise produce more propolis, which is bad for sticking hive parts together, but good for sanitation and cold surviving cold weather. One drawback with the Russian bees is they are slow to build up. No so with the Minnesota, I hear. Many have praised them highly. They take off (rebuilding population in early spring) as well or better than most italians, or carniolans. I think Spivak offers a few different flavors or crosses of her hygienic line. It's been a while since I looked.
Like a lot of people in the (sort-of) know, I wonder if there were any old line carniolan feral survivors on Santa Cruz Island which the bee biologist Adrian Wenner from UCSB deliberately introduced the varroa mite to, in an effort to destroy them, after years of bee-lining and trapping couldn't eradicate them from the Island. That was done as part of the effort to restore the Island back towards natural flora and fauna. Personally, I think the bee strains, and the fact they were isolated was far more valuable than a greeny Park Service dream of putting nature back to pre-european settlers condition.
Just think. Not only were those bees varroa free, they may also have been isolated from many viruses, and the microspordian Nosema, which in conjunction with IIV (invertebrate iridescent virus) and a couple of paralysis and wing deformation virus, have been previously found to have been all present in other earlier CCD diagnosed colonies.
I'm dealing with some dumb English Wasps that took up residence at my yard last year. They're 'scary big,' but quite dumb, even when I spray them directly.
I'm waiting for spring to see how many are left.